Former Ald. Wallace Davis Accused Of Being Deadbeat Dad

Former Ald. Wallace Davis is set to go on trial for allegedly failing to pay more than $100,000 in child support payments for his two daughters. (Credit: CBS)

CHICAGO (CBS) — He was one of Chicago’s most colorful and controversial public officials. Now he’s charged with being one of the city’s top “deadbeat dads.”

Former Ald. Wallace Davis allegedly owes more than $100,000 in support payments to his two little kids and he’s talking about it only to CBS2’s Mike Parker.

How did he get into this mess?

“I sometimes wonder myself,” Davis says. “Trying to do the right thing, wrong follows, I guess.”

Wallace Davis, the former alderman of the 27th Ward, is no stranger to getting himself into messes. In 1987, he was convicted of bribery and extortion and did a three-year stretch in federal prison.

Now, despite owning a popular West Side catfish restaurant and several properties nearby, he’s charged with failure to pay child support for his 5- and 6-year-old daughters.

According to his attorney, Davis owes a total of at least $150,000, including fines. This particular charge is a felony.

According to the director of the State’s Attorney’s Child Support Enforcement department, Z. Williams, “There is jail time if the person is not able to comply.”

Davis calls the allegations, “ridiculous.”

He says he is financially strapped because of a theft five years ago.

When he refinanced his home, he says, the check for $168,000 was stolen, his signature was forged and the check was deposited in the thief’s account and never recovered. Davis has filed suit to get his money from the broker and the title company involved.

Davis says he wants to support his kids and “most certainly” make it up to them.

“I got a lot of making up to do,” he says.

The former alderman is calling his felony prosecution a “political” move by Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.